Long-distance free-space distribution of quantum entanglement

We demonstrate the distribution of quantum entanglement via optical free-space links to independent receivers separated by 600 m, with no line of sight between each other. A Bell inequality between those receivers is violated by more than four standard deviations, confirming the quality of the entanglement. This outdoor experiment represents a step toward satellite-based distributed quantum entanglement.     

1981—2020年西藏“一江两河”主要农区负积温的时空变化特征

利用西藏“一江两河”流域9个气象站点1980—2020年逐日平均气温资料,采用线性回归、Mann-Kendall非参数检验、相关分析等方法,分析了研究期内“一江两河”主要农区负积温的时空分布特征及其与气温、积雪和冻土的关系。结果表明：“一江两河”农区负积温总体上呈自西向东递减分布,并随海拔升高而降低。该农区负积温初日推迟率为3.11 d/10 a,终日平均10年提早2.53天,持续日数缩短率为6.03 d/10 a,负积温以24.93(℃·d)/10 a的速度显著升高。在10年际变化尺度上,负积温表现为逐年代升高的变化特征,其中1980s—1990s偏低,2000s—2010s明显偏高。进入21世纪后,负积温初日推迟、终日提早、持续日数缩短和积温升高的年代际变化特征尤为明显。M-K检验显示,负积温终日突变时间较早,为1993年;初日和持续日数均发生在1996年,负积温出现在1995年;突变后负积温初日推迟9天、终日提早6天、持续日数缩短17天、积温减少68.6℃·d。负积温升高与冬季平均气温上升、积雪日数减少和冻土退化具有较好的一致性。负积温对农业生产的影响有利有弊。     

2010—2019年西藏中南部春油菜生育期变化特征

为了解气候变暖背景下高原春油菜生育期对气候变化的响应特征,本研究利用2010—2019年西藏泽当农业气象观测站春油菜生育期资料和1981—2019年逐日气象资料,采用线性回归方法分析了西藏中南部春油菜生育期变化特征。结果表明：（1）1981—2019年春油菜生长季日照时数和平均风速呈显著减少趋势,减幅分别为-22.37 h/10 a、-0.32 (m/s)/10 a,其他气象要素均为不同程度的增加趋势,暖湿化气候特征明显。但2010—2019年春油菜营养生长期、生殖生长期以及全生育期的热量资源（平均气温、平均最高气温、平均最低气温和≥0℃积温）和光照资源（日照时数）趋于减少,水分资源（降水量、相对湿度）和平均风速呈增加趋势。（2）2010—2019年春油菜现蕾、抽薹、开花和绿熟4个生育期无明显变化,播种期和出苗期为推迟趋势,而五真叶期与成熟期呈提早趋势。营养生长期、生殖生长期以及全生育期的天数均呈缩短趋势,以全生育期天数缩短最为显著(-2.23 d/a)。（3）春油菜大部分生育期天数与日照时数、≥0℃积温有显著的正相关,与其他气象要素的相关性不显著。全生育期天数不仅与日照时数、≥0℃积温存在显著的正相关,还与平均相对湿度有着显著的负相关。2010—2019年春油菜全生育期天数随着日照时数和≥0℃积温的减少、平均相对湿度的增加呈缩短趋势。     

Small mammalian herbivores as mediators of plant community dynamics in the high-altitude arid rangelands of Trans-Himalaya

The high-altitude rangelands of the Trans-Himalaya represent a grazing ecosystem which has supported an indigenous pastoral community for millennia alongside a diverse assemblage of wild herbivores including burrowing mammals (pikas and voles). Pastoralists consider the small mammals to cause rangeland degradation and as competitors for their livestock, and actively eradicate them at many places. We present data on the ways in which small herbivores like pikas and voles mediate plant community dynamics. Vegetation cover and plant species richness were compared on and off both active and abandoned small mammal colonies. Plant species richness was higher inside colonies (about 4-5 species/plot) than outside (about 3 species/plot) whereas vegetation cover was only marginally lower (52% compared to 60%). Soil disturbance due to small mammals is seen to be associated with higher plant diversity without causing dramatic decline in overall vegetation cover. Such disturbance-mediated dynamics and vegetation mosaics produce a rich array of testable hypotheses that can highlight how small mammals influence assembly processes, succession, and dominance hierarchies in plant communities in this arid ecosystem. So, eradicating small mammals may lead to declining levels of diversity in this ecosystem, and compromise ecosystem-functioning. Changes in traditional pastoral practices and overstocking are more likely to be responsible for degradation. We emphasize that eradicating small mammals can lead to loss of diversity in this ecosystem and it is not a solution for the degradation problems.